As I understand it the Rose Of Allandale was written in the eighteen forties and had a reasonable run as a Victorian parlour song.At this time it was 'collected'by which ever Copper was singing in the pub at Rottingdean and continued in the families repertoire until Martin Carthy 'collected'it from them in about nineteen sixty. A couple or three years ago pre Mike Harding Folk on Two had a sesion pianist and tenor do the original as published and Martin singing his version.I
believe thee was oe word and one note difference, which says something
for the Aural Tradition if nothing else.I believe mr Geoffey and mr Nelson were the original composers.